Methods and Apparatus for Detecting and Decoding Adaptive Equalization Training Frames

1. A method for detecting a training frame in received data, said training frame comprised of a frame marker having a string of a predefined length of binary ones and a string of a predefined length of binary zeroes, said method comprising: shifting said received data by one or more bit positions; inserting at least one predefined binary value at one end of said shifted received data to generate a modified version of said received data; applying a logic function to said received data and said modified version of said received data, wherein said received data and said modified version of said received data each comprise a plurality of bits and wherein said logic function identifies when corresponding bit positions in said received data and said modified version of said received data have different values; and detecting said frame marker when an output of said logic function has a first binary value in an approximate middle of a predefined number of a second binary value, wherein said output comprises a bit position corresponding to each of said plurality of bits.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said logic function is one or more of an exclusive or function and an exclusive nor function.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining if a valid frame marker is received.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said determining step further comprises the step of determining if said received data has a programmable number of a first binary value and a programmable number of a second binary value.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of determining if said received data has a programmable number of a first binary value and a programmable number of a second binary value for a programmable number of consecutive frames.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining if said frame marker is detected for a programmable number of consecutive frames.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said programmable number of consecutive frames must be received at an approximate expected frame rate.

8. An apparatus for detecting a training frame in received data, said training frame comprised of a frame marker having a string of a predefined length of binary ones and a string of a predefined length of binary zeroes, said apparatus comprising: means for shifting said received data by one or more bit positions; means for inserting at least one predefined binary value at one end of said shifted received data to generate a modified version of said received data; a logic circuit for processing said received data and said modified version of said received data, wherein said received data and said modified version of said received data each comprise a plurality of bits and wherein said logic circuit identifies when corresponding bit positions in said received data and said modified version of said received data have different values; and a frame marker detector that identifies said training frame when an output of said logic circuit has a first binary value in an approximate middle of a predefined number of a second binary value, wherein said output comprises a bit position corresponding to each of said plurality of bits.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said logic circuit applies one or more of an exclusive or function and an exclusive nor function.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising means for determining if a valid frame marker is received.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said means for determining is further configured to determine if said received data has a programmable number of a first binary value and a programmable number of a second binary value.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising means for determining if said received data has a programmable number of a first binary value and a programmable number of a second binary value for a programmable number of consecutive frames.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising means for determining if said frame marker is detected for a programmable number of consecutive frames.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said programmable number of consecutive frames must be received at an approximate expected frame rate.

15. An apparatus for detecting a training frame in received data, said training frame comprised of a frame marker having a string of a predefined length of binary ones and a string of a predefined length of binary zeroes, said apparatus comprising: a data shifting circuit for shifting said received data by one or more bit positions; a bit generator for inserting at least one predefined binary value at one end of said shifted received data to generate a modified version of said received data; a logic circuit for processing said received data and said modified version of said received data, wherein said received data and said modified version of said received data each comprise a plurality of bits and wherein said logic circuit identifies when corresponding bit positions in said received data and said modified version of said received data have different values; and a frame marker detector that identifies said training frame when an output of said logic circuit has a first binary value in an approximate middle of a predefined number of a second binary value, wherein said output comprises a bit position corresponding to each of said plurality of bits.